Partners (Transformers Prime)
by GrootsGirl2000
Summary: I was nothing like my sister, Miko, although I missed her dearly while she was in America. She had left about a year ago as an exchange student. Then, I was given the same opportunity as her. Goodbye Tokyo. Hello Jasper. One thing I didn't know about America was that giant alien robots lived there. Another thing I didn't know, was that I would become one's partner. SmokescreenXOC
1. Prologue

Prologue:

I took my first step in America. So far, the people were nice, the food was amazing, and there was always something to look at. There were so many people bustling around and searching for their families in the commotion.

"Ren!" I hear. I spin around and I see the one and only Miko.

"Miko! I missed you." I rush to meet her, dropping my bags onto the ground and embracing her in a hug.

"What have you been up to sis?" She asks.

"Well, if you called like you should, you would know." I chastise. "But, it's been good. Tokyo is the same and I finally don't have to share a room with that smelly girl anymore." I sigh. Miko snickered.

"Where are your host parents?" I ask.

"They're waiting in the car. I think they're embarassed to be seen with me." She shrugged with her usual mischivious smirk.

"I'm not sure mine have shown up yet. My flight was early. It's a shame we won't be living together." I sigh.

"Yeah," Miko huffs. "We'll see each other at school though." She says reassuringly.

"And I won't have to clean your hair dye out of the sink." I joke, which earned me a punch in the shoulder. I yelp and rub the tender spot.

"You dye your hair too." She huffed.

"I never leave a mess." I counter. She shakes her head at me, her pigtails shaking too.

"We're looking for a Ren Nakadai!" I hear a deep voice shout. I pull my attention away from my sister and I see a huge sign with my name in English on it. An older man with blonde hair and a graying beard was holding it. He was accompanied by a short woman with long brown hair, who looked pregnant, and a young boy, maybe twelve, who was pretty chubby and clutching a gaming device in his stubby fingers.

"Looks like your host family." Miko said. I pick up my bags and I approach them. They see me and Miko and lower the signs.

"Which of you is Miss Ren?" The man asks kindly. I raise my hand.

"That would be me sir." I answer. "This is my sister, Miko." I gesture to her.

"Hiya." She greeted.

"It's nice to meet you both. I'm Joseph, but you can call me Joe." He says, stretching his hand out. I shake his hand and then he does the same with Miko.

"This is my wife, Kim." Joe places a hand on his wife's back. She smiled at me, holding her belly.

"Our son, Matt." He ruffles his boy's hair, which didn't distract him away from his game.

"And our soon to be son or daughter." He concludes, looking fondly at Kim's stomach.

"It is very nice to meet you all." I say.

"Yeah, yeah. So do I get to come over and spend the night?" Miko interupts.

" _Miko, that is very rude_." I hiss in Japanese. She shrugged.

"Sorry, my sister doesn't understand that Americans don't like it when someone talks in a different language in front of them." She said, almost sincerely.

"That's quiet alright." Joe says.

"And of course you can come over." Kim says. I could almost see the apprehension in her eyes. "It will be quiet cramped I'm afraid." She starts.

"You'll be sharing a room with Matt. We're in the process of setting up a nursery right now. It was supposed to by your room, but we had a happy accident." Joe says, looking at his wife.

Great. I'll be sharing a room with a pre-teen boy. There's no telling what I'm going to have to put up with. Miko started snickering beside me, probably reading my thoughts exactly.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Jasper High

I woke up to my alarm and I cracked an eye open. My phone was flashing and making a lot of noise. I hear a groan across from me. I sit up and I see Matt holding his head between his pillows. I shut off my phone and I pull myself out of bed.

I grab my clothes, not trusting Matt to look away while I get dressed, and I head off to the bathroom. I sluggishly dress myself and I apply my makeup.

I drag myself out of the bathroom and to the kitchen to make some tea. I found Joe already up and getting ready for work.

"You sleep well?" He asks.

"Yes." I lie. Matt had been up all night playing his video games. The little noises coming from the device wouldn't allow me to sleep. I was so used to city noises in Tokyo, but I had ways of blocking them out. I had Chi Chi and Ding Dong. Mine and Miko's cats. I would always fall asleep stroking their soft fur.

"That's good. I'm heading off to work. Kim'll probably be up soon. Morning sickness usually hits her about seven." He smiled. "She'll drive you and Matt to school." He said.

"Okay. Thank you." I say. He waved goodbye and headed out the door.

I sneak back into the shared room and I retrieve my backpack and my other school supplies. I had studied extensively how to function in American society. I studied their language, culture, etc. I was ready to make some friends today.

I sat at the table, reading my book, and then I hear a door swing open and I see Kim slamming the door shut behind her as she went into the bathroom. I smile to myself and I continue with the book.

When she finally emerged from the bathroom, she looked tired and pale, her bare feet padding through the living room and into the kitchen.

"Good morning." I greet. She smiles at me, running a hand over her bed head.

"Mornin'." She said groggily.

"If you don't mind my asking, how far along are you?" I ask.

"Almost three months." She sighed. "Is Matt still asleep?" She asks. I respond with a nod.

"Damn it. Matt! Get your butt out of bed! School's starting in an hour!" She screams. I wince at the noise and high pitch scream. I hear a groan out of the bedroom and I return to the book, trying to block out the noise.

When we finally pull up at the school, I hop out, grateful to be out of there. I was nearly late because of Matt. He wouldn't get out of bed. I have never been so disrespectful to my parents as he was this morning.

He whined incessantly at his mother that he was too tired for school, which resulted in her cracking down and taking his gaming device away. He has been pouting for the duration of the car ride and I was glad that I was the first to get dropped off.

My first thought when I entered the school was to find my sister. I reached into my back pocket and pulled out my red phone, dialing her number.

"Ya'know there's this thing called texting..." She started.

"Where are you? I want you to come with me to the office to get my schedule." I say, ignoring her statement.

"Fine. Where are you?" She asks.

After lots of misdirection, we finally found each other. She was carrying a brightly colored pack and a sketchbook in her hands. She was dressed as her usual punk self, which contrasted to me.

We went to the office and I received my schedule and locker, which I doubt I'd ever use. Miko showed me to our classes and I found that we shared History. I was a little surprised at that. We were in different grades. She was in tenth and I was in eleventh. But, I guess that they put me there because it was necessary.

"Okay, this school is an open campus, so that means-"

"I know what it means," I interject.

"Fine then Miss Smartypants. Meet me by the front doors. Me and a couple of friends go to the K.O. drive in a few blocks away." She said. I nod and we chat before the first bell rings.

By the time lunch came around, I had acclimated to the noise and constant chatter of the school. My stomach was growling and I was in need of caffeine. I met up with Miko by the front doors and I see that she was accompanied by two boys.

"Hey, Ren! These are some of my best buds." She smiled. "Jack and Raf." She says.

"It is nice to meet you both. I'm Ren." I say.

"Hey." The short boy, Raf, adjusted his glasses.

"Wow. You're Miko's sister? That's hard to believe. You guys seem kinda different." Jack observed. We looked like opposites. She was dressed in dark, punk clothes and I was just dressed in a skirt and a cute top.

"I have manners." I tease. Miko stuck her finger in her mouth and then came at me with it. I grab her wrist and I hold her back.

"Miko no!" I cry, but she overcame me, shoving her finger in my ear.

"Ew..." I use my sleeve to clean her saliva out of my ear.

"Such a baby. Are we going or what? I'm hungry." She stated, adjusting the strap of her backpack.

We went to lunch at the fast food restaurant, which was crowded with other students from the school. It was noisy and hot in there, but it was all worth it for the food. We finished our meal and made it back before lunch break was over.

We only had two periods left in the day, one of them being History. I was introduced to the class and sat behind Miko, thankfully. I noticed halfway through the period that she was going through pictures on her phone and I lean forward, being a snoopy sister. I caught a glimpse of something green right before she snapped it shut.

"Could you not breathe down my neck?" She hissed.

"Just trying to see what page we're on." I lie, giving her a small glare. "You don't need to snap at me," I say irritably. She rolled her eyes at me and told me the page number.

Once classes were out, I met up with Miko in front of the school, along with Jack and Rafael. All the students were dispersing to go to their parents or cars.

"Hey, gotta go sis! See you tomorrow." Miko says, quickly hugging my neck before bouncing down the steps and to a green SUV.

"Bye." I wave as it pulled off in a hurry.

I noticed that Jack and Raf were getting picked up too. Jack was getting on a blue and pink motorcycle and Raf was getting into a black and yellow sports car. I sigh, sitting on the steps and pulling out a book. Kim wouldn't be able to pick me up for another thirty minutes until she got off work at the market. Her shift ended at three, but it'd be a twenty-minute drive. It was only two-fifty.

I could hardly focus on my book with all the noise going on around me and I resulted to watching for Kim and just watching the people. I always enjoined watching people do the simplest of things. Like talking with friends, laying out on the grass, or fussing over a failed test. It makes our lives seem incredibly small and mundane.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: "Maybe I should have stayed in Tokyo."

It has been weeks since I've arrived in America and started attending Jasper High. I was slowly, but surely, becoming more and more fed up with Miko. She was practically ignoring me. After school, I heard nothing from her. No texts. No calls. No nothing.

I came here for her. I wanted to be with my little sister, but what I get is a lunch buddy. It was getting to that time of day and I was glaring at the back of her head in History class. She looks outside and I see her eyes brighten. I look to see it was that same green SUV. Who was it?

"That your boyfriend?" I tease her.

"Psh, you wouldn't even know what a boyfriend looked like if it hit you in the face. And not my boyfriend." She whispered back. I scoff at her. I know what a boyfriend looks like. A boy, who's your friend. A romantic interest.

"Are you gonna ditch me again after school?" I ask, irritated with her.

"Whaddya mean? I don't ditch you." She said, turning to me.

"Yes you do. I got my grades up and worked hard so that I could be here with you and you blow me off every day after school." I counter.

"I didn't ask you to do that." She glared.

"Why are you being so mean? I've been nothing but nice to you and I wanted to spend time with you." I say desperately.

"I don't want to spend so much time with someone as boring as you." She huffed spinning around to face the front.

I purse my lips and furrow my brows. If looks could kill, Miko would be nothing but a heap of dead flesh on the floor. I thump the back of her head to get her attention.

"Ow! What the hell was that for?" She snarled.

"Tell me why you're being such a brat. I have done nothing to you. You've been gone for a year, you expected me to just forget about you while you were gone." I whisper harshly.

"Did you ever think I left because I wanted to get away from you?" She snapped. I was taken aback. I bit my lip to keep the tears from spilling over.

"Wow... Maybe I should've stayed in Tokyo." I hiss slamming my book shut, standing up seconds before the bell and rushing out of there before the rest of the crowd.

"Ren!" I hear, but I ignore it. I merely plow through the crowd and out the front doors. I was walking through the grass and toward my host parents house. A firm hand grasps my wrist and I spin around seeing Miko.

"Ren, I didn't mean all that. I'm sorry." She says.

"Then why did you say them? And just because you say sorry doesn't mean it takes that away." I huff.

"I know, I know. I just..." She trailed off.

"You just what? You don't want me to meet your other friends cause I'm too boring? Or is it because you wanna get away from me?" I ask. She looks down ashamed.

"Why are you leaving me?" I ask.

"I...can't tell you." She sighs. I scoff, pulling my hand away.

"You better go. You're boyfriend's waiting for you." I sneer. She looks over her shoulder at the green SUV. I took that time to turn away from her and I head down the street to my host parents' house.

When I finally get there, I text Kim that she doesn't have to pick me up. Unfortunatly, I don't have a key. Therefore, I'd have to wait on the porch for her to get me.

I pulled out my phone and I dialed our number back in Tokyo. I needed to talk to Mom. Or Chi Chi. Or Ding Dong. Or anybody back home.

 _"Hello?"_ I hear Akio. My baby brother. He was only eleven and true to his name, which meant bright.

 _"Hey brother. How's Tokyo?"_ I ask.

 _"Ren? It's good to hear from you. Tokyo's nice, although it's raining right now. How's America?"_ He inquired. I explain to him my host parents, Matt, the school, the students, K.O. drive-in, the whole shebang.

 _"Last time you call, you told Mom that Miko was ignoring you."_ He said.

 _"Yeah. That's sorta why I called. We got into a fight today and told me that I was too boring that that she wanted to get away from me. I just needed to talk to someone from home. Even one of the cats."_ I joke. _"How are your piano lessons coming along?"_ I ask, changing the subject. I wanted someone to distract me from Miko.

He told me that he was going to be preforming at his school and that it was a pretty formal event. I was sad I couldn't be there with him. There were three siblings in total. Me, being the oldest at sixteen. Miko, at fifteen. We were almost exactally one year apart. Our birthdays are days away from each other. Akio was the youngest and only boy at eleven.

I see Kim pull up in the driveway and I bid my brother goodbye before I hang up and stand to greet her. Matt hopped out of the back seat and ran up the steps, no doubt anxious to play his games. Kim was taking her time coming up the steps. There had been some definite growth since I arrived. Her shirts were becoming too small and she was in need of some maternity clothes. You could see her stomach poking out of the bottom of her shirt. It wasn't very flattering.

"Goody afternoon Kim. Hey Matt." I say. Kim responds with a 'hey' but I doubt Matt even heard me.

We went inside and resumed our normal routine. Matt would play his games, I would begin my homework, and Kim would watch TV until four. They she'd prepare dinner for Joe when he got home from the hospital. He was a doctor and worked long hours. I often had to help Kim because the smells of cooking food would make her nauseous.

Then, they forced Matt to put away his things and we all had dinner, telling each other about our days. I told them I had a good day anyway. I don't want them to know that I got in a fight with my sister today.

Then, I bid them goodnight and I retreated to the bathroom for a nice, long, hot shower. The warm water helped me to forget about my worries and I cleared my mind. All I needed was some piano music in the background.

 _Pink!_

I stirred from my sleep and I crack and eye open, seeing just the dark and the small amount of moonlight coming through the blinds in the window.

 _Pink!_

I sit up and glare at the window. There might've been a tree branch or bush hitting it or something. I checked my phone and saw that it was a few minutes past two o'clock. I had only just gotten to sleep when Matt's game died.

I look over and see Matt passed out asleep. I decide to investigate, seeing as how I wasn't getting the deepest sleep anyway.

 _Pink!_

I make an opening in the blinds for me to peek out and I see none other than Miko. She sees me looking and waves, then motions from me to come out.

I groan and I pull on a sweater, creeping through the living room and out the front door. I find Miko waiting for me in front of the porch.

"What do you want Miko?" I ask.

"I want to make it up to you. All the mean things I said." She said.

"You couldn't have done this tomorrow?" I say, shivering at the cold.

"No! I have a surprise for you. And you don't have to worry about your host parents waking up and you not being there. It'll only be an hour or so. Come on!" She grabbed my hand and lead me off across the street. The green SUV.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Bob

She lead me to the green SUV and I felt nervousness. It was past curfew and I was getting into the car with a stranger in the dead of night without so much as leaving a note for my host parents. If I get into touble, Miko was toast.

"Miko, maybe this isn't such a good i-"

"Oh hush! You're always scared to do something a _little_ bad." She rolls her eyes, opening the passenger door. I get in the seat behind her and I see a shadowy figure in the front seat.

"Um, hi," I say meekly.

"Hello." The man says with a deep voice, awkwardly I might add.

"Ren, this is... Bob. Bob that's Ren. Now, lets get this show on the road!" She says, propping her feet up on the dashboard.

"And crank up the tunes! Track seven Bulk." She says happily. The radio turns on and load music blasts out of the speakers. Metal. I wince and try not to be rude by covering me ears.

"Would you mind lowering the volume please?" I say above the music. Bob turned it down and I sigh. Miko groans in frustration.

"So, uh, how'd my sister force you out of you bed in the middle of the night?" I ask, trying to make converstaion.

"Well, I was already up." He shrugged.

Bob was a tall African American man. His bald head almost touched the ceiling and you could see some faint facial hair in the dim light from the dash. From the back seat I felt intimidated my his muscles. I wouldn't want to be on the recieving end of a punch from this guy. On his biciep, I could faintly see a tattoo poking out from under his t-shirt.

"So, are you one of Miko's host parents?" I ask.

"No, no. I'm a friend. Us and a couple others hang out after school." Bob says. Honestly, what would an adult want to do with a teenager. Something was off about him.

"What do you guys do?" I ask.

"We're about to show ya." Miko says happily from the front seat.

By now, we were in the desert. The moon shown down on the vehicle and I was worried that he was gonna pull out an axe and hack us both into tiny pieces. It was isolated out here.

Then, we went off road. I held tightly to the seat and the roof handle. Miko was cheering in the front seat and I closed my eyes, feeling slightly sick. Then, we puled to a sudden stop. I peak and eye open and I see the desert and the moon. It was quiet beautiful outside

"Go for it Bulk!" She cheer. Bob rolled the car forward and then I felt my heart leap in my throat. Are they crazy? I whimper, holding a hand over my mouth as we started rolling down the hill fast, leaving my stomach at the top.

Miko was whooping and cheering, Bob remained silent through it, and I let out a sigh of relief when we reached the bottom. I release the roof handle and I run my hands over my face.

"Fun right?!" Miko looked back at me, eyes practically glowing with excitement.

"Yeah." I lie. If this is what made her happy, then awesome. I'm glad she's been leaving me out of it. "This is what you guys do all day?" I ask skeptically.

"Pretty much." Miko answers with a shrug. Wow. It did seem like her. But why couldn't she tell me? This couldn't be it. She would have told me.

"Why did you say you couldn't tell me?" I pry. She and Bob, or Bulk, look at each other.

"I needed to get permission from the club." Miko says, meeting my eyes.

"Since when do you get permission to do anything?" I smirk, although I was completely serious. Something about this whole situation was off.

"It's a big deal." She shrugged. "Let's get you home to your host parents. You're gonna be pissed at me tomorrow for your lack of sleep." She smiles, patting my leg once before spinning back around in her seat.

The next morning, I needed and extra cup of tea in order to function. I met Miko outside the school, waving 'hi' to Bob, or Bulk. Miko waved a quick goodbye with a wide smile and I felt my need to protect her, as an older sister.

 _"Miko,"_ I start. _"Are you doing something you shouldn't? You're my sister and I love you, but I don't think you should be messing around with that man. He's so much older than you and you could catch something if you're not careful. Are you at least using protection?"_ I say. After lots of thinking last night, I came to the conclusion that Miko must be sleeping with that Bob guy. What other reason would someone as old as him want to hang around a young teenage girl?

 _"Whoa! That's not what's going on. We're just friends. I mean it."_ She says.

 _"Well, men are pigs. You need to be careful around him. One day you could go off and I'll never see you again. That man'll have you doing God knows what."_ I say. _"I just want you to be careful Miko. Call me when you get to where you're going and check in with me every two hours. I need to know that your okay."_ I say. At this point we were stopped outside her locker we were getting odd glaces from the people around us.

 _"Fine, fine. Now go to class."_ She ordered with a roll of her eyes. Was Miko sleeping with him? That was the only thing that made sense to me. I hope she wasn't. But, then again, if that's what made her happy... I just wanted her to be safe.


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Cats Out

Miko had stuck with her word. She was consistent in her text messages. One every day at around three-thirty and another around seven. It made me sick to think that something could happen to my baby sister, but I couldn't control her. She was her own person. I just had to trust that she'd look out for herself.

It was that time of day again and I was anticipating the bell. Miko and I had been separated for talking in class and I eyed her across the room. She was sleeping. She'd wake up second before the bell like clockwork.

The bell rang and Miko was one of the first ones out. She never waited for me, not that I expected her to. I held my things in my arms, my backpack unable to hold another item. It was dragging down on my shoulders and I was in need of a rest.

I found myself outside and I parked my butt at the top of the stairs, watching for Miko, Jack, and Raf. But, I found them by a tree at the corner of the schoolyard. I see Miko glance over and do a double take when she sees me, waving. I wave back and watched them for a brief second before opening a book.

"Hey, Ren!" Miko says, coming up the steps.

"Hi, Miko." I greet, waving to the boys as they followed her up.

"Bob isn't picking you up?" I ask.

"Nah, not for about fifteen minutes. He's late." She huffed, blowing a strand of hair out of her eyes. She got out her phone and started playing a game on it. The noises coming from it were just as bad as the ones that keep me up at night. I wanted to say something but thought better of it. We'd probably get into another fight.

After fifteen minutes exactly, Bob showed up. Was he picking up all three of them? I thought Jack owned a bike.

"Where's your bike, Jack?" I ask.

"The shop." He shrugged, rubbing the back of his head. I nod and I wave goodbye to them as they leave. Miko was half-way across the yard when I notice something bright pink on the ground. Her phone!

"Miko!" I call.

"Gotta go sis! Text ya later." She yelled, slamming the door. The tires squealed as they tear off down the road.

"How are you gonna do that when you don't have your phone?" I say to myself. I pick it up and I flip it open, to see if Bob was one of her contacts. But I was stopped short at the picture for her background.

"What is this?" I ask. Nobody was around to hear me. Giant robots? The green one bore a particular resemblance to Bob's SUV. Against my better judgment, I opened her photos. There, I found all sorts of suspicious things. There were several pictures of the green robot, the white, red, and green one. There were others too. Menacing purple robots, glowing blue cubes. Then, things get stranger. Pictures of New York City, Greece, statues in museums, the list went on. How had she gone to all these places in one short year?

I was going to have to have a chat with my sister.

The next day, I resumed my normal routine, waiting to get to school to talk to her. Oddly, I was nervous. Miko was no doubt going to yell at me for going through her photos, but I'd endure for some answers.

I was holding my sister's phone in my hand, waiting for her to get to school. It was a little chilly outside and I tug my jacket closer to me in hopes of holding in the warmth. I brushed my hair behind my ear, seeing some cute boys walk up the steps into the school, but sadly they paid me no notice. Oh well.

Then, Bob pulled up and his suspicious SUV. I had studied those pictures and I knew that somehow that SUV was not just an SUV. Miko hopped out of the front seat and swung her backpack over her shoulder. She saw me and bounced up the steps, but stopped seeing her phone.

"Awesome! You have my phone. I was so worried." She said, snatching it out of my hand.

"Miko," I start. "I think we need to have a talk," I say.

"Ugh! Don't get started about Bob again." She huffed.

"It's not that. I was trying to find his contact on your phone to get a hold of you and I saw some pictures. A lot of pictures." I say. Her eyes widen and turned angry.

"You went through my pictures?!" She screeched.

"Yes," I say calmly. "What are those things?" I ask in a hushed voice.

"Damn it, Ren." She rubbed a hand over her face. "Lemme call Bulk." She sighs, flipping open her phone, dialing the number.

"Hey, Bulkhead. She knows. What are we going to do? Okay. Bye." She hangs up and shoves her phone in her back pocket.

"Looks like you're coming with me after school." She glared at me.


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Guardian

School didn't end soon enough. Today Miko had waited with me and there was an intense awkwardness between us and the boys. Jack could hardly look at me and every time I locked eyes with Raf he swallowed a lump in his throat. What were they hiding? Why are these robots such a big deal?

"Come on. Bulk doesn't like it when I'm late." She said, pulling me along by my wrist, quite painfully I might add. She pulled me outside, where I saw Jack mounting his motorcycle and Raf getting into the black and yellow muscle car. Miko shoved me into the backseat of Bob's SUV and I about flipped when the car started moving on its own.

"Where's Bob?" I ask.

"Well, it's sorta hard to explain..." I hear Bob's voice coming from all around me.

"What- how?" I rambled.

"Ren, listen to me." Miko drew my attention. "Don't freak. Everything'll be explained in about thirty minutes." She said. Okay then. All I need to do was be patient and calm and levelheaded. I took a deep and tried to slow my heart rate. Key word being _tried._

We were in the middle of the desert and Jack was in front of us. We were coming to the first turn in miles, but instead of swerving, we head off road to a mountainous rock.

"Whoa! Whoa!" I back into the seat, holding onto the roof handles. I squeeze my eyes shut and wait for the impact.

However, nothing came other than the sound of squealing tires. I crack an eye open and see Miko hopping out of the car. I reach for the handle, only for it to swing open on its own. I take a shaky breath and hop out and I move closer to Miko.

I hear whirling, clicking, and sounds of metal scraping against metal. I spin around and find the robot from Miko's phone. I gasp and take a step back, craning my neck to look at him.

"Hi." He said awkwardly and in a familiar voice.

"B-Bob? This- How did..." I trailed.

"Okay, his name isn't Bob. It's Bulkhead. And these are the Autobots." She gestures behind us. I spin around and my eyes become as wide as saucers.

There were so many! They were so big. I felt like an insect. I felt my heart hammering in my chest and I look at Miko who was looking back at me with a grin.

"I-I don't know what to say. What are they?" I ask. One scoffed and my attention was drawn to the red and white one.

"We are sentient beings." He said irritably. "You should address us as such." He crossed his arms.

"That's Ratchet, the doc. He's mean, old, and cranky." She rolled her eyes.

"I can hear you." He snarled.

"That's the point." She smirked. Ratchet huffed and turned away from us.

"Hey, Ren." I look up to see Jack and Raf atop a platform. I waved coyly at them, but I cower when I see a robot, bigger than the rest of them.

"Ooh! Here comes the speech." Miko tugged my arm excitedly.

"My name is Optimus Prime." He says in a deep, baritone voice. "I am sorry for frightening you. I'll have you know we take the utmost care in watching out for the other children." He says. I had no idea what to say.

"Sorry Optimus, Ren's tongue tied." Miko elbowed my side.

"Should we inform Nurse Darby?" He asks. I crack a smile while Miko and the boys start laughing. After their laughing fit, Optimus Prime explained to me the details of them as a race, faction, and team.

"Ren will need a guardian, despite the fact that she has not yet been seen by Decepticons. I do fear that she will need some help acclimating to her surroundings. It is also only a matter of time before the Decepticons discover her existence." Optimus announces. I gulped and I took a step closer to my sister. Optimus stood, looking over his team. His eyes flicked between Ratchet and a white, red, and blue Autobot.

"Smokescreen," He says. The flashy colored Autobot jumped at his name and he grinned wildly. "You will watch over Ren." He says.

"Yes! A human partner." He says the last bit a little more quietly. "I won't let you down Optimus." He concluded, taking a step forward, but was stopped.

"Optimus, you can't be serious." Jack's motorcycle says in disbelief.

"I believe that a partner will help Smokescreen to better understand the need to protect the human race." He said. She looked at him dumbfounded and sighed. After that, the Autobots dispersed and I was left to meet my partner.

"Hi Ren, I'm Smokescreen." He says, kneeling down in front of me. He had a kind and welcoming voice that seemed to invite me in.

"Hi," I say. It would be a lie to say I wasn't in shock.

"So, um... You wanna go for a drive? Get to know each other a little." He suggested.

"Sure," I say. He smiled before standing and taking a step back. I let out a breath of awe as he turns into a stunning car. Lotus Exige. It had incredible horsepower meant for racing. Zero to sixty in 4.7 seconds.

"You impressed with the wheels?" I hear his voice, him wiggling his tires, popping the driver's side door open for me. I take a seat and I place my hands on the wheel.

"You're a magnificent vehicle." I hum, feeling the leather seats beneath my thighs.

"Well, I just copied the vehicle if that makes sense." He says. The dash lit up with every word.

"You made a good choice," I say, admiring the interior. He chuckled at my response.

"I think we'll get along just fine." He hums before peeling out of there.


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Getting to Know You

Smokescreen hit the road at neck breaking speed. My head was pressed to the cushion of the headrest and I smiled, loving this feeling of moving fast. It was different that rolling down a hill, which created the feeling that you'd get on a roller coaster. This gave me a sense of calmness while having fun.

"Do you need me to slow down?" His voice sounded.

"Go faster!" I grin. He chuckled and I was pressed further into the seat as he gained speed. The gage couldn't go any higher and I giggled, putting my hands above my head joyfully. All too soon, we were running out of road and we had to slow down.

"That was fun. A lot of fun." I say with a smile.

"Slag yeah!" He cheered. He made a turn and started to make his way into town. "So, what's your favorite color? Hobbies? Music? Give me a description of yourself." He said.

"Um okay. I really like music. Unlike my sister, I prefer softer tunes. I play the piano. I'm from Japan, but if Miko's said anything, you already know that." I say, pausing to think of something else. "I like the color red. And I think America's pretty cool. Alright, your turn." I say.

"Well, I'm an alien," He starts with sarcasm lacing his voice, although he was completely serious. "I'm a warrior, or the assist, as I dubbed myself." He said with sarcasm lacing his voice. "I trained at the finest academy back on Cybertron. I consider myself a jokester and pretty darn handsome." He said. I could hear a smirk in his voice and I smile at his words.

Smokescreen pulls back out onto the open road and we found ourselves on a desert cliff. It was beautiful. The sun beat down on us, but I was completely content with the weather. In contrast to the heat of summer in Japan, it was much drier here. I would survive, though.

Smokescreen popped the door open and I get out, taking a few steps back and I watch in awe yet again as he transforms. He stood tall and proud, the wings on his back held high. He took a look around and then down at me, kneeling down.

"You know this is a beautiful planet. Not that I've been to that many, but your planet is certainly unique." He hummed. I nod in agreement.

"What did Cybertron look like?" I ask curiously. It's not every day you got to ask an alien what their home planet looked like.

"It was beautiful too. There were tall metal buildings that shined when the sun rose. There were two moons that illuminated the sky at night. Our planet had a natural glow to it that was a beacon to travelers." He said fondly. I noticed his use of past tense and knew that this was no longer the case.

"But then the war happened. I was very young when it happened. Only a mechling. That's when I was put through training for war. They wanted the young to grow up strong to fight in the war." He frowned. "The war killed our planet." He said his face hardening. "I fight because I want the Decepticons to pay for what they did to our home." He said firmly.

"You'll get your revenge," I say sincerely. He looked to have snapped out of a daze when I spoke up and he looked down at me with a small smile.

"Yeah, it'll come soon enough. Now enough downer talk. Tell me something about Japan. I've never been there. Maybe one day I'll visit it on patrol" He shrugged.

"It's humid there. Really humid. There's a lot of people on the roads and on the sidewalks. Don't even get me started with the subway." I smile. "I liked the noise. It was hard to sleep through, but you knew you were never alone." I say.

"Tell me about your family." Smokescreen urged.

"Well, my parents are together. My mom is a schoolteacher and my dad is an expert in computer science. I'm the oldest sibling. Then there's Miko, who's a year younger, and our brother who's only eleven. I'm sixteen right now." I say. "Miko and I share a birthday month in February," I say. "Do you have any family?" I ask.

"Yeah. My creators. No siblings. It's typical for our race to only have one child unless it's split spark twins. But, when I went to the academy I didn't see them again." He said.

"Do you miss them?" I ask.

"Sometimes. It's been so long that I've almost forgotten what they look like. It was a long time ago." He shrugged.

"When did you arrive on Earth?" I ask.

"Now that's an interesting story. I've been waiting for you to ask 'cause now I get to talk about my skills." He said, puffing out his chest proudly. He explained to me in detail of his landing, his origins, Team Prime's initial mistrust, him taking down the Decepticon second in command who was wearing impenetrable armor, even if the mission ended in failure.

"At least you guys have the Apex Armor now. That's a plus." I say reassuringly. Smokescreen gave me a small smile.

By now the sun was going down and the horizon was orange and the air was beginning to cool. Smokescreen had settled into a series of random questioning like, 'what do Autobots eat?' and 'what's your favorite food?'.

I liked Smokescreen. He was a straightforward guy and he was funny. I found myself laughing frequently at the things he said or the expressions he made. He seemed to have so many stories to tell and I noticed his need to impress others. I thought it was kinda cute how hard he tried even though I'm pretty sure he knew that I was already his friend. He was a good guy.

"Hey, do you need me to drop you off at home? You wanna get home for dinner." He said.

"Oh yeah. Don't wanna miss that. A ride would be great." I say.

"Yes, ma'am." He said, standing. He transformed and this time I got into the passenger side. He pulled out of the dirt and onto the road.

"If you plan on coming to the base tomorrow I'll pick you up from school. Jack, Miko, and Raf use the 'science fiction club' excuse with their parents." He said.

"That's funny. Okay, yeah." I smile.

"Awesome! So did I give a good first impression?" He asks.

"Yeah. You're pretty cool." I say giggling.

"Then why are you laughing?" He asks, amusement lacing his voice.

"I like how straightforward you are. Few people are like that and I like that you're an open book." I tell him truthfully.

"Thanks? I don't know why I'm an open book, but thanks." He said.

"It was a compliment." I smile, patting the dash lightly.

All too soon, we arrived at my host parents house. I bid Smokescreen goodbye and he told me that Raf would put a comm patch on my phone so we could contact each other. Whatever that was...

"Oh, should I take you to school too? I know that the others do that with their charges." He asks.

"I think I'll let Kim take me. She may not like it if I'm getting dropped off and picked up by a stranger." I say.

"Good point." He agreed. "Well, I'll see you tomorrow." He says, opening the door.

"Goodnight Smokescreen," I tell him, getting out and pulled my school things out with me too.

I head inside and I hear the sound of his engine fade away. Inside I find Kim and Joe setting up the table and Matt was on the couch playing his games.

"Oh good! You're just in time for dinner." Joe said smiling.

"I hope you're hungry. We're having Sloppy Joe." Kim said.

"I'm starving," I say truthfully. "I'll put my things away and I'll help you," I say, heading off to the bedroom. I put my backpack on the foot of my bed and I put my phone on the nightstand before I head out.

I was mid-bite when Joe started asking us all about our day. Matt said his usual, 'nothing much', and Kim went on to tell him about how there was an extremely rude customer that she snapped at and how she was now on 'probation'.

"Ren, how was your day?" He asks.

"I had a good day. Miko and I got together after school and she showed me her club. I joined it. I hope it doesn't interfere too much with our schedule. I'll be getting home about this time every day." I say.

"Everyday? What club is this?" Kim asks.

"It's a science fiction club. We discuss, debate, and hypothesize. We watch cool movies, do field trips, all that fun stuff." I say.

"Who's the leader? A local?" He asks.

"It's a couple of students from the school who organized it," I say.

"That's good. It'll be good for you to socialize." Joe said, looking pointedly at his son, who was playing his video game beneath the table, oblivious to his father's scrutinous gaze.

"Yeah." I agree, taking a bite of my Sloppy Joe. I was excited to go to the base tomorrow. I wanted to learn more about the team and especially my guardian.


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Scouting Mission

"So, you excited to see Smokey? From what I heard when he got back was that you two really hit it off." Miko said as we head out of History.

"Yeah. He was fun to hang out with." I say.

"He seemed to like you too. You guys might me as much of a pair as me and Bulk." She said. I smile and nod. We made our way outside and I scanned the curb for his color scheme, finding him under the shade of a tree.

I make my way to him and I open his scissor door before hopping in, hoping the students were looking at the awesome car that just picked me up from school.

"Hey, partner. How was school?" Smokescreen asks.

"Good. Been waiting for you to show up since I got here." I smirk. He laughs and peels away from the school.

"You miss me that bad?" He teased.

"Nah, I just wanted to get out of there," I say sarcastically.

"Whatever. You totally missed me." He said.

"If you say so," I respond, which was followed by a silence. "Okay, maybe a little bit," I say. He chuckled and sped up, rolling the windows down. The wind whipped my hair in my face and I had to hold my skirt down so that it would not blow up.

Since I missed it the first time, I was in quite a stupor when the cliffside mysteriously opened up, revealing the base. We were the first ones there obviously, due to Smokescreen's superior speed and because we got a head start on the others.

"Where are the others?" Was of course Ratchet's first question.

"Eating my dust." Smokescreen said mirthfully. Ratchet rolled his eyes and turned back to the console.

"So, whaddya wanna do Ren?" Smoke asks.

"I don't know. What do you usually do when you're here?" I ask.

"Wait around for a mission." He answers.

"Seriously? You must be up to something. What about TV, reading, eating out of boredom..." I was surprised. He was such a fun guy and I was surprised to hear that all he did was just sit around on his down time.

"I guess we can watch some TV." He said. "Come're. There's a rec center up those stairs from when it belonged to the military." He pointed me over to some stairs and I heave my bag on my shoulder and make my way up there.

"Chop chop Ren." He teased.

"I'm carrying half my weight in books. I can't help it." I say, making it up the final step and I drop my bag by the couch, plopping down on it.

"Excuses..." He baited. I ignore him, with a small smile and I turn the TV on, finding myself on a cooking show, which I doubted Smokescreen would find entertaining.

"Find something with some action or something funny." He said.

"You got it," I say, turning to the guide. I found a comedy movie that I'd never seen before and Smokescreen stood behind me, tuning into it. That's when we heard revving engines and squealing tires.

I look over the railing to see the others and their guardians. Miko, Jack, and Raf were coming up the steps with their bags, dropping them behind the couch and taking seats.

"You're so gonna get munched Jack." Miko challenged, picking up the two game controllers off the coffee table.

"Oh please! I've been playing this game a long time. You don't stand a chance." Jack changes the TV and I look back at Smokescreen, who just shrugs.

"Oh Ren, I wanted to ask if I could have your phone so you could contact the Bots if you needed them," Raf says.

"Sure." I pull out my phone and place it in his palm. He left to go do his thing and I felt mildly worried about the safety of my phone.

"Smokescreen," My guardian looks over to the Bot that called his named. Arcee. "You were pushing two hundred driving with Ren. I wouldn't exactly call that safe." She said, putting a hand on her hip.

"Oh, we were just havin' a little fun! It was an open road and perfect for a little speeding." He said.

"A little?" She countered.

"Well, I did have my seat belt on," I speak up, defending my guardian. His cocky tone was not helping his case. Arcee sighed, pinching between her eyes.

"Fine, but it's your turn to go on the next scouting mission." She said, walking away.

"Yes! You can come with me." Smokescreen said, turning back to me.

"There won't be any Decepticons will there?" I ask.

"Nah, this is just recon. If there's any sign you'd get a bridge back to base." He said reassuringly.

"Okay. Where are we going?" I ask.

"You're going to Mexico to investigate an energy signature." He said.

"Um, I have a curfew," I say.

"You'll be back in time for dinner," Smokescreen promised.

"How?" I ask and my question was answered when a whirling noise filled the room and I was briefly blinded by a burst of light.

"A groundbridge portal." Smokescreen said with a hint of amusement in his voice at my shock.

He offered me his hand, placing it near the ground in front of me, and I give him a skeptic look before clambering on, holding my skirt close and clutching his fingers tightly.

"I won't drop ya." He said. "What kinda guardian do you think I am?" He asks jokingly.

"I don't think you really want me answering that question." I jest, squeezing his thumb.

"Whatever. You know I'm awesome." He said as he walked through the groundbridge.

When we came out on the other side, I felt so dizzy I almost fell out of Smokescreen's hand. My bones were vibrating and my stomach turned dangerously.

"Can-can you put me down?" I ask, holding a hand over my mouth. Smokescreen hastily set me down on the ground and he knelt next to me.

"If you're going to spew, I don't wanna look." He said, cringing.

"I'm not gonna... I just need a minute." I say, taking in deep breathes.

After a few minutes, I was feeling well enough and I stood. Looking around, I found that we were in a jungle. It was hot and humid. It sorta reminds me of Japan.

"Awesome, you're feeling better!" Smokescreen cheered. Now let's go find that energy signature." He said, pulling out a remote of some sort.

"Sit on my shoulder. You won't have to climb over brush then." He said, placing a hand down for me. hop on, holding onto his thumb until I reached his shoulder. I stepped onto his shoulder and I held tightly to some of the armor on his head.

"That tickles." Smokescreen snickers. I smile, easing down with my shaky legs. I had a fear of heights. Not terribly, but it was enough to set my nerves on edge.

"Wow. It's so pretty here." I say.

"Yep. Signals coming from over here." He said, gesturing ahead of us. I look down at his scanner and see that we were getting really close to the source of the signal.

Smokescreen pulled aside a tree branch and it snapped loudly. He stepped into a clearing and he found himself in the midst of several Decepticons. They all stopped their work and looked at us. Their red eyes glowed and I felt Smokescreen tense under me.

Then, the action began. Shots were fired left and right and I was thrown from Smokescreen's shoulder. I let out a scream and closed my eyes, waiting for the impact.


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Forgotten?

I let out a sharp gasp when I hit something hard and solid, but I was uninjured. I see that I had long metal fingers curled around my body and I find that Smokescreen was the owner of the hand. I look at him fearfully as he took off in a sprint the way we came.

"Ratchet! I've got Decepticons on my tailpipe. We need to bridge Ren back to bas- Agh!" He cries falling to the ground. I flew from his hand and I landed in a roll on the ground. I pull myself to my feet and I see that Smokescreen is struggling to stand and that his back is smoking heavily. He meets my eyes and I look fearfully as Decepticons were blasting through the forest behind him.

"Ren, you need to run and hide. Backup is coming." He said, standing and taking cover from the incoming shots behind the tree.

"What about you?" I ask.

"I'll be fine. You think they can beat me that easily?" He asks, being his usual cocky self.

"Okay. Be careful." I say.

"When am I not?" He asks, transforming his arm into a blaster. Then, ironically, a shot fired through the tree right next to his helm. He froze, his eyes going wide, and then he looked at me.

"Things are getting hot. Get outta here." He said. I nod and I run off into the brush, looking back to see Smokescreen firing shots out of his cannon.

I paid close attention to where I was stepping so as not to trip, but then I ran smack into a branch. I stopped and rubbed my face, pulling away and seeing a little blood. I then picked up my pace again, putting distance between myself and the sounds of battle.

Just when I thought I was far enough to stop for a rest, I feel thundering footsteps vibrating the ground. I turn around and see dark purple armor through the trees and I start to run again, this time I was fun on sprinting, running on adrenaline. I hopped over brush and ducked under branches as if it were something I'd been doing all my life.

I broke out of the tree line and I found myself at the top of a waterfall. It was probably a one hundred and fifty-foot drop down into the water. I look back to see that the Decepticon had also broken through the treeline and was staring right at me.

"The Autobot's new recruit has a human pet. Hehe... Not for long." He started to advance toward me and I made a rash decision. I jumped off the cliff.

The wind made my skirt blow up and my hair blew away from my face. I couldn't scream. I couldn't think. All I could understand was to breathe. Take a breath. Breathe.

I took a gulp of air just before I hit the water and I squeezed my eyes shut. I sunk to the bottom, hitting my feet hard on the bottom, jarring my ankles and knees. I need to stay down here so that he thinks I'm dead. But then, I started to float to the top. I tried to swim down but to no avail.

I let the air out of my lungs slowly, so I wouldn't float as fast, and I found myself starting to suffocate. My lungs burned, head pounded, and a fire was raging behind my eyes. I just needed to stay calm. But how could you when you're about to drown?

I couldn't take it anymore. I swam frantically to the top and when I broke the surface I gasped for air, coughing hysterically. I see that the Decepticon had left and I sighed in relief. I swam to the bank and I crawled through the mud, resting against a rock.

I started to laugh a little. I just did one of those things you only see in movies and came out with a minor injury. I outran a Decepticon. I felt amazing. Now, I needed to find Smokescreen and his backup if it came.

I got up and made my way off the bank, wiping the mud off my shoes on the grass. I took my jacket off and I used it to get the mud off my skin and somewhat off my clothes before tossing it to the side. It was ripped and beyond repair. You could now see my bra through my shirt, but that was the least of my concern.

I found myself in the same spot as the battle. I knew this for a fact because of all the unearthed dirt, bodies, and scorches on the trees and ground. But where were the Autobots? They wouldn't just leave me, would they?

Now, I was presented with the real challenge. Do I wait for someone to clean up the Decepticon bodies, or do I go find a phone?

If it took too long for them to come back, I could freeze, my clothes still being wet, be eaten by an animal, bitten by a spider, the list of risks was endless.

If I went to go find a town, I could get lost, I could still freeze or die by the hand of nature, and if I did find a phone I could be kidnapped.

I had a dilemma.

I decided to climb a tree, in hopes of being able to see something from there. After the long ordeal and almost getting into a spider web that had a bright yellow and menacing spider in the center of it, I found nothing.

Waiting for the Autobots was my plan of action, however, I needed something to keep me warm in the meantime. I gather dry sticks and leaves and I dig a small pit with my hands. I look around for something to start it with and I find bright blue stuff. I remember Smokescreen saying something about it being flammable. Energon.

I take a few sticks, dipping them in the substance, and I place them in my stick pile. I find two rocks and I start banging them together and soon enough they sparked. That stuff was more flammable than I thought and I had to move away as it burst into flames. I smile and I hold my hands over the blue fire.

Night soon came and I was frightened by all the small noises of the jungle around me. I could hear animals, branches cracking, and the sounds of insects buzzing were driving me mad. I was defiantly gonna be late for curfew. I don't think they were coming. Just when I was starting to feel really sad that I was most likely going to die, I was blinded by light.

I shielded my eyes and I looked through my fingers at the silhouettes of the Autobots coming, though. It was Optimus, Bulkhead, and Arcee.

"Oh thank God." I breathe standing up.

"Ren?" Bulkhead seemed surprised.

"How are you alive?" Arcee asks.

"What do you mean? Smokescreen kept the Cons off of me while I ran. I just figured you guys forgot about me." I say.

"Arcee, take Ren back to base. Bulkhead and I will dispose of the bodies." Optimus ordered.

Arcee nodded and stepped aside, waiting for me. I caught up with her and I walked by her side through the groundbridge, that familiar feeling of nausea washing over me, but not as bad this time.

"Ren!" I hear Miko scream. I see her running down the steps and she tackles me in a massive hug.

"Miko?" I was confused. "I can't breathe." She released me and I bring a hand up to wipe a tear away from her cheek. Her eyes were red and puffy. Her makeup was running and she was sniffling.

"Why are you crying?" I ask her, rubbing her shoulders comfortingly.

"We all thought you were dead." She cried, hugging me again.


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Alive

Dead?

"Why would you think that?" I ask, pulling away from the hug.

"Smokescreen came back a mess, saying that some Con had killed you. It came onto the battlefield bragging about it." She said.

"That's not what happened. I was pursued by one Decepticon, but I jumped off a cliff into some water so that he couldn't get me. He must've thought I drown." I say.

"Don't scare us like that again," Miko said.

"I'll try." I kiss her forehead and I look around for my guardian.

"Where's Smokescreen?" I ask.

"He went topside for some alone time." Ratchet said.

"I'm gonna go see him. He's probably beating himself up over this." I say, heading up the stairs.

"Don't you wanna put something on? I can kinda see your boobs through your shirt." Miko said. I look down and shiver. My shirt was still a little damp, not to mention it was a crop top. It was a little chilly and my boobs weren't my main concern.

"Not unless you're gonna give me your shirt," I say.

"Nevermind." Miko walked back to the couch. I can see how much I've been missed.

I go to the elevator and I press the button. The doors slid open and I step in, pressing the button to go up. I seemed to take an hour for just those measly few minutes that it took to go to the top.

When the elevator finally opened, it was equivalent to a smack to the face when the cold air hit me. I started to shiver terribly. I stepped out into the moonlight and I see the reflection of Smokescreen's armor. His back was to me and his door wings brushed the ground, hanging low in sadness. As I approach him, I see that he has his head in his hands.

"Smokescreen?" I say. He drops his hands and he glances over to me.

"Ren? Wha-How is this possible?" He asks.

"I'm alive," I say.

"I can see that!" He let out a small laugh, smiling. He reached a servo out and I hugged his fingers tightly, shivering against the cool metal. "Primus you are alive. We-I left you!" He realized. "You must hate me." He sighed.

"Nonsense. Now I have a cool story to tell you." I say. He gave me a sideways glance and then he smiled, shaking his head and laughing breathily.

"Go on and tell it." Smokescreen said. I started with when he told me to leave and how I ran as hard as I could. I got to the part where the Con was chasing me and I told him of my courage when jumping off the cliff.

By the end of my story we were both smiling and I knew that my partner was in better spirits. It was cold out and my body was shaking violently.

"Let's get you inside partner. I don't want you to freeze to death after all you had been through." He joked, picking me up and holding me next to his chest, which was radiating a warmth that was oddly soothing and making me drowsy.

We found ourselves downstairs and I noticed that Jack and Raf were gone. Smokescreen put me on the platform next to my sister, who handed me my phone.

"Raf texted Kim that you were spending the night at my house. That was after you left on the mission and we thought you weren't coming back. We didn't know what to tell them about you being dead." Miko said. "And I told my host parents that I was staying with you, cause I didn't wanna go home." She sighed.

"Looks like we're spending the night," I say.

"Awesome! I can show you my room." Smoke fist pumped. I smile and shake my head.

"Here's your phone by the way." She pulled my phone out of her back pocket and handed it to me. "And you should really look at your new screensaver.

I flip open my phone and I start laughing. I raise it up and turn the screen toward Smokescreen, who that started laughing hysterically.

"Can you keep it down?! Some of us are trying to work here." He snarled.

"You got it Ratch." Smoke snickered, still looking at the picture of Ratchet's butt my screensaver. Miko had snapped a picture of him as he was bent down and got the perfect shot. I high fived Miko, not bothering to remove the photo. But, so the same mistake would not be made twice, I'd put a password on my phone to keep anyone from looking at my pictures.

"Is there anywhere I could get cleaned up and get some fresh clothes?" I ask.

"This missile silo used to be inhabited by humans. I'm sure there is a wash rack somewhere with some clothes." Ratchet sighed.

"I think I know where that is. Come on." Miko grabbed my hand and led me downstairs.

"See ya in a bit Smoke." I wave as Miko drags me down the hall.

Ratchet was right. There were leftover clothes from the soldiers and showers. It was relaxing to rise all that dirt and grime from my body. It washed away the day's stress and struggles. It was cleansing to my very soul.

When I finally emerged from the shower it was near midnight and my mind started going a million miles an hour. I had Math, Chemistry, and History homework. I had to get it done.

I quickly got dressed in a shirt and some boxers I'd be using as PJ's that were way too big. I had to roll up the waistband so that they'd hang on my hips at least. Miko laughed at me and the way at had to pull them up every few seconds. I couldn't imagine what they'd be like on her.

I was bigger than Miko. I was all 'filled out'. Miko had always been a late bloomer whereas I had it all. I got everything early. The period, the boobs, the hips, the rear... It was shocking how different my sister and I really were.

We found ourselves in the main room again where Smokescreen was waiting for us.

"Haha! You look so funny in those clothes." Smokescreen laughed.

"Well, they're way too big on me." I sighed.

"I can see that." Smokescreen said teasingly. I rolled my eyes at him. "Hey come look at my room. It's kinda awesome." He said.

"Alright then. I expect to be impressed to the point of muteness." I say.

"Well, you better take a sign language class cause it's just that cool." He smirked.

He picked me up and held me in his hand, walking down a hall. He stopped in front of a door and pushed it open. It was four walls, windowless, a bed, and a couple of storage lockers.

"This is pretty amazing." I tip my head up, seeing his face upside down. He rolled his eyes and set me on the bed, which was probably too small for him.

"It's good enough, but hey, this isn't the best part." He said, moving to the lockers. He turned his back to me for a moment and then I let out a yelp as his fist came barreling toward me. I squeezed my eyes shut just before impact, but there was nothing. I crack an eye open and see nothing but blackness. Was I dead?

Then, it's like someone switched the lights on. I can see everything. Especially Smokescreen's cocky grin.

"It's called a phase shifter. It allows me to pass through solid objects, or them through me." He shrugged. He demonstrated again using the lockers, waving a hand _through_ them.

"That's awesome." I beam.

"I know right! The team let me have it cause I was so good with it. You should see me in battle when I've got this baby strapped to my wrist." He gives me a lopsided grin.

"I've had enough battle for today." I hum with a tired smile.

"Right." He sobers. "I'm sorry Ren. I shouldn't have taken you out there." He apologized.

"There's no need for you to be sorry. I'm alive and you're alive and I have something amazing I can tell my great grandkids and they'll think I'm senile." I say, making him smile a little.

"Okay partner." Smokescreen smiled.


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Dynamic Duo

"Alright, pick a song. I wanna know what kind of music you like." Smokescreen said.

"I told you. I like softer songs, particularly ones with piano music in the background." I say. His radio tunes to a song that played just classical.

"Not quite. I'm more into artists like Lana Del Ray." I say. He tunes it to one of my favorites by her. Gods and Monsters.

We were halfway through the song when Smokescreen changed it to something a little more upbeat.

"I'm sorry, I just can't listen to that for the rest of the car ride. It's too slow." He griped.

"Fine. What is this?" I ask, tapping my finger to the tune.

"I don't know. I like this group and their music." He said. I got to listening to the lyrics and decided that I liked it, even if it was different than my preferred music.

I tapped my foot to the beat and shook my shoulders, bobbing my head. These guys were good. It was different. All I had ever listened to was my piano music and Lana Del Ray. I loved the new beat.

"This is awesome." I smile.

"I know right. This is gonna be our band." Smokescreen said happily. He was dropping me off at school this morning. I had spent the night at the base again. I slept on the couch with Miko. We said that we were going to a friend's house for a sleep over. We weren't lying.

It had been about a month since our incident where everyone thought I was dead. I had to do my homework on the way to school and I had to explain the cut on my cheek from running through the jungle. I used my clumsiness as an excuse. The small cut had healed and now in it's place laid a small, shiny scar. Over time it would fade.

"Okay, here you go. You're early." Smoke commented as he pulled up by the curb. I was very early. I usually don't arrive for another twenty minutes.

"Do you care if I hang out with you for like ten minutes? Or at least until Miko or one of the boys shows up?" I ask.

"Not at all my flesh covered compatriot." He said. "Have you got any tests today?" He asks.

"I believe that I have one in Math today." I sigh.

"On a Monday?" Smokescreen asks.

"He's a huge jerk." I shrug.

"Ooh! That's a pretty strong word." He baited.

"He is! You should hear the way he talks to us. It's weird. Miko and I have a theory that he's sleeping with one of the students and that he talks in code so they're not caught." I explain. Smokescreen laughed.

"Wow, that's some serious stuff. Any ideas on who it is?" He asks.

"We have a few." I shrug. "Nothing solid. But we will get to the bottom of it." I say with a smirk and a determined tone.

"Whatever you say, Ren." I could almost hear the eye roll in his voice. I noticed that Miko was hopping out of her host mom's car and I pat Smokescreen's dash, bidding him goodbye.

I get out and I head over to meet my sister and we head up into the school and I give Smoke one last wave as he drives away.

I drove back to base, sad to see my charge go. We were such a team! She was witty and could keep up with my jokes. It was the perfect set up. I think the others were becoming to understand that I was just as capable as them, that I wasn't a sparkling, and that I was one step closer to my destiny.

I sped through the tunnel and skid to a stop in the main room, transforming. Ratchet was turned to me and I was waiting for him to lay into me about slowing down.

"Smokescreen, you're next for the holoform." He said. My eyes widen and I inwardly cheer.

"Sweet! I can surprise Ren when I pick her up today." I say.

"Please! The technology I'm installing in you will take days to complete. And don't get your hopes up that it will work. So far, it's only been successful in Bulkhead and Arcee." He said. I nod and he leads me to the med-bay.

I sat on the berth and he had me open a panel on my side to get to my wiring. I would let out a yelp every now and again as he nicked the wires.

"If you would just keep still, it would be less painful." He snarled.

"Sorry Ratch! I don't like to be in one position for too long." I huff.

"Get used to it because the longer you fidget, the longer you'll be on my table." He said. I let out a groan and I try to be still.

After an hour or two of being completely still on that dreadful berth, Ratchet finally let me leave. He said that he'd finish the next morning and to go rest for the rest of the day. But how could I do that? I needed to do something other than sit around.

The others had gone on patrols and I wanted to join them, but I knew that Ratch would never allow it. I went to my berth room and I had to find something to occupy myself.

I got my phaseshifter out and I started training with it. I dived through walls, took cover beneath the floor, and I drew my blaster as if I were in a battle situation.

This kept me busy until it was time to go pick up Ren. It was a welcome distraction and I sped out of base, tires squealing, to get to my charge. I was there probably thirty minutes early and I could faintly see her through an open window, which was probably only thirty feet away. All the windows of this classroom were open and I watched the teacher pace in front of the class and call on students.

Then, I see Ren's eyes widen with surprise when she spotted me. She offered a tiny wave, being so discreet so not to be seen. From her seat, I could see that her skirt was riding up her thigh. I wanted to tell her so that nobody else would be able to see, knowing how conservative humans were.

I found myself focusing on that and I had to distract myself. She had her hair clipped on the sides with some black bows and pulled away from her eyes. Her hair framed her face and I noticed how every few seconds she would lick her lips.

Then, the bell rang loudly and I watched as she rose out of her seat and walked out the door. She rushed out to meet me and I closed my door behind her as she got in.

"Oh my gosh! You wouldn't believe what happened today Smoke." She started. "Actually you probably would, but that's beside the point. Miko got in a fight today! She socked the school bully Vince a good one." Ren said proudly.

"What for?" I ask, pulling off into the road.

"He was teasing us about our accents and she kicked him in the balls," Ren said with a wide smile.

"Why would she get in trouble for kicking someone's balls? They're for sports right?" I ask. Ren started giggling.

"We need to have 'the talk'." She said, patting my dash.


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Surprise

I had a horrible day today. I haven't seen Miko for a few days, not only was she suspended from school, but she was grounded and couldn't come to base. I texted her during class and I got my phone taken away by our Math teacher who we think is a huge perv, but luckily he can't see the texts because of the lock on my phone.

I was waiting for the bell to ring so that I could go and get my phone from the teacher. I was absolutely dreading going in there. I bundled up in my jacket and I tugged my skirt down to cover my leg as I made my way to the classroom.

I stopped just outside the door and I raised my hand to knock, only for it to open as if he knew I was there.

"Ren, I see you came back for your precious piece of technology. Your sister has been texting you all day." He smirked.

"I bet," I say emotionless, walking through the doorway. He closed the door behind me and I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

"Lemme get your phone out of my desk then we can both leave." He said, shuffling over to his desk. This is the creepiest guy I had ever met. He had a monotone voice and a disgusting beard. He had a toupee to cover his shiny bald spot that I saw one time when he bent over.

"Alright Miss Nakadai," He said, holding my phone in his hand. "If I see it again in class I'll take it and hold it 'till Friday." He said. I don't think he was allowed to do that.

"Alright," I say reaching for it only for him to pull it away again.

"You know, I've noticed a steady decrease in the quality of work you're giving me. I could give you an extra credit assignment." He said. I had a feeling I knew where this was going.

"I'll start working harder. Now can I please have my phone? I'm kinda in a hurry." I say.

"Alright, alright. Don't get your panties in a twist." He placed my phone in my hand. That was so inappropriate. He had no effect whatsoever on my panties. I left without another word, walking as fast as my legs would carry me to Smokescreen.

"What took you so long?" He asks when I climb in the passenger side.

"I had to get my phone back from the creepy Math teacher." I huff. "It was so awkward." I lean back farther into his seat.

"Why'd you get your phone taken away?" He asks.

"I was texting Miko in class," I respond.

"You should be more discreet next time." He says.

"I had my phone in my lap," I say in my defense.

"Nobody thinks their crotch is that interesting." Smokescreen counters, making me laugh.

"You'd be surprised at what's out there." I shrug.

"Really? Are you an expert in the subject matter?" Smokescreen asks teasingly.

"I wouldn't say I'm an expert," I say. "I got my education from Miko. My baby sister." I laugh. "Not that she has any first-hand experience, but she's a curious soul." I smile fondly. "Or at least I hope not." I shrug.

Smokescreen chuckled and sped up once we hit the open road. He rolled down the windows and I take out my clips to let my hair be whipped by the wind. I shrugged my jacket off too, the desert heat coming through.

When we finally got to base I was laughing along with Smoke at a dumb joke that he had made and I take my things up to the platform. I drop my bag behind the couch and I get into it, wanting to start my butt-load of homework.

"What? Don't tell me that you're gonna ignore me to do school work." Smokescreen pouted.

"Smokescreen, I need to finish installing your holoform." Ratchet called. What's a holoform? Smoke groaned and stomped over to the medic as if he were a child. While he was consulting with his physician, I took this opportunity to do my work.

Smoke was gone a lot longer than anticipated. I expected him to be back in ten to fifteen minutes, but he was gone for nearly an hour! When he finally came back, I was about to die of boredom.

"Smoke, what took you so long?" I whine.

"Now you wanna spend time with me." He rolled his optics.

"It only took me ten minutes to get my work done. You've been gone forever!" I say. Jack and Raf paid no mind to our conversation. They were playing video games on the couch, cursing at each other for little things in the game.

"Well, now I have a surprise for you." He smirked.

"Really?" I was mildly surprised that he got me a surprise. "What is it?" I ask.

"It wouldn't be a surprise if I told you." He countered. I let out a small groan and I go to the edge of the railing, staring him dead in the optics.

"You're a dork." I huff at him with a small smile.

"Those are fightin' words." He said with a southern accent, making me laugh. "Come on. We'll go for a drive and I'll show you." He grinned madly.

"Should I be excited or worried?" I ask, hopping into his hand which he so kindly offered.

"Maybe a bit of both." He teased before tossing me lightly into the air. I gasped and closed my eyes, but then I found myself in Smokescreen's passenger seat. I put my skirt where it's supposed to be and I glare at the dash.

"Smoke! I bet everyone could see up my skirt." I whine.

"Is that such a bad thing?" He asks, peeling out of the base.

"Yes! What's under a girl's skirt is very private." I explain.

"Sorry." He apologized.

"That's alright," I say. Smokescreen pulled to a stop on the top of a cliff and I was waiting for the surprise.

"Alright, what's the surprise?" I ask. And my answer was a handsome guy sitting in the driver's seat. He had stunning blue eyes and dark hair. His clothes matched Smokescreen's color scheme and I could see the fabric of his clothes stretching to accommodate his muscles.

"Smokescreen?" I was amazed at his appearance.

"Yep. It's me." The guy, Smokescreen said. I could see his perfect teeth behind his lips when he talked.

"Wow. How are you human?" I ask.

"I'm not. Think of this form like another transformation. Ratchet tried to install the holoforms in all of us, but it was only successful in me, Bulk, and Arcee." He explains.

"You're pretty darn handsome." I compliment. I see him puff his chest out proudly.

"Why thank you." He grinned with that beautiful smile. "Now let's go have some fun." He grinned, his engine revving.


	13. Chapter 12

Chapter 12: Knight in Shining Armor

It was another normal day. I was picking up Ren at school and I was waiting for her for a long time yet again. It was a nice sunny day and the breeze rushed the trees I was parked under. I figured that she had gotten caught on her phone again in class and I was _trying_ to wait patiently for her to come out. But soon, one by one, parent began leaving. Even the others left with their charges.

Something had to be up. I activate my holoform and I step out of the drivers side, walking around the front of my alt mode and into the grass. I made my way up the steps and I opened the door.

So this is the human's school? It was cramped, smelly, and dirty. I made my way down the hall lined with lockers, following my gut about where Ren was. She had to be around here somewhere. It wasn't as if she disappeared in a puff of smoke.

I was passing a class when I heard furniture scraping against the floor. I stopped and I crack the door open curious. It was a good thing too.

I bust through the door, finding Ren and the teacher in a very compromising position. Ren's cheeks were tearstained and her hands were desperately trying to push the man, her teacher, away. I move forward, pulling her away from him and to my chest.

"The administrator will be hearing about this. Come on Ren." I say, my arm wrapped around her shoulders. I snatch her phone off of his desk and we walk out, Ren crying softly into my chest.

Slagger. Instructors are supposed to care and guide their students. Not make them afraid and violate them.

On the way out, she was clinging to me desperately. She tangled our fingers together and held onto my arm as we make our way to my alt. She was hiccuping and her brown eyes were widened with shock and fear. I put her on the passenger side before I got in the driver's side. I grasp her head in my hands and I turn her neck to face me.

Her eyes were red and puffy. Her cheeks were tearstained and you could see the fear on her features. Her hands trembled in her lap and she was desperate to cover herself.

"Ren, you're safe now. I won't let anything happen to you. I'm your guardian." I tell her comfortingly.

"He-he tried to..." She couldn't even finish her sentence. I pulled her onto the center console and into a tight hug. She wrapped her arms around my neck, holding me as if I were a lifeline. I held her waist and petted her soft hair.

I found her pressed against his desk, him cornering Ren. He had himself flush against her and I felt rage flow through my veins. How dare he touch Ren?

Humans are vile creatures. How could one do that to their own kind? It was disgusting. Poor Ren got to see something so horrible first-hand and I felt guilt sink into my spark that I hadn't been there sooner.

"You're safe now." I kept telling her.

"I-if it weren't for you, he probably w-would have raped me." She sobbed into my neck, hiccuping. "Thank you Smokes-screen." She cried.

"You're welcome partner." I say softly into her ear.

I could hardly sleep that night, dreading the next day of school. I hugged my pillows, pretending that they were Smokescreen. How could I possibly thank him? He saved my innocence.

Smokescreen was my savior, my guardian, my partner, and my best friend. I needed to do something for him. I know that we hadn't know each other _that_ long, so it'd be difficult for me to figure out something he'd want or want to do or see. Him being the gentleman, he always wanted to talk about me. Don't get me wrong, he loved the sound of his own voice, but he was always wanting to know more.

I sat up in bed, knowing that I got all the sleep I was going to get tonight. I glanced over at Matt who's gaming device was hanging in his limp hand. I thought about going to grab it and play it, but I didn't want to risk waking him. I needed some alone time. Or Smokescreen. Or Miko.

I didn't even tell Miko what happened! I wanted to call her. I needed to, but I didn't want to wake her up. I just needed something to distract myself. I grabbed a book out of my backpack and I started reading it. I could hardly focus on it, because I was getting drowsy and because I couldn't stop thinking about Smokescreen.

I wanted to call him. I wanted him to lull me to sleep with his soft voice and I wanted him to hold me. I had a crush on my guardian. Especially after he saved me from the math teacher.

Smokescreen could always make me laugh. That's the first thing that attracted me. Then, it was his eyes. The color and depth were enchanting. He was also protective. It made me feel wanted and important. Then, when I saw his holoform, it made it seem possible.

But, he was also an alien. He was fighting a war and he had his duties. I needed to set boundaries with him. I couldn't let myself get too attached because he could be killed in battle or they would win the war and go back to Cybertron.

But, nonetheless, I was going to have to do something for my knight in shining armor in return.


End file.
